Senior Moment

…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12 NIV

I went to the grocery store on a week day during the early afternoon. It did not take long to notice a lot of senior citizens there. I found myself thinking, “Look at all these elderly people! Is it Senior Citizen’s Day at the grocery store?”  Then when I thought about my own gray hair and age, I realized I too populated that group. I certainly could not turn my nose up.

Isn’t that just like us. We point out other people while excluding ourselves. The Bible tells us about the Pharisees who constantly mentioned everyone else’s shortcomings, but did not believe they themselves had any. What a pious way to live. Also, what a way to turn people away from Jesus instead of toward him. Compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient did not describe the Pharisees at all. I do not want the same to be said of me.

You, like me, probably know of people who do exhibit compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We enjoy these people. They comfort and encourage us. They point us toward Christ. Anyone in any age bracket can fit into this category. I have seen children, teenagers, and both young and older adults demonstrate these attributes skillfully. We notice their attitudes and their actions. I want to be like them.

Just as people observe the physical clothing we put on our bodies, they also notice our personalities as well. We can encourage others or discourage them. If we think about these godly characteristics as being part of our clothing, we need to intentionally put them on. Do they feel good or do we need to learn how to wear them well? Either way we make a conscious intentional decision to make them our own.

God, I know you want us to give these a try because they reflect you. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience – with your help I will wear them daily.

Susan Partida